Hot & F'd in Fuzhou! Little HELP?

[ngali]

Hey all. Kinda stuck here and some help advice would be appreciated...

I'm taking my Chinese made ZongShen RX3 down the coast to Xiamen, but hit some problems just outside of Fuzhou. The RX3 comes with spoked wheels and - after chaining my rear wheel up while in a hotel overnight - some security guards didn't like where it was and moved/ dragged it away breaking spokes in the process.

Of course that means next day's ride sees a slight wheel vibration develop into a tank slapping wheel wobble and the bike is unrideable.

Normally that's a trip to the mechanics 20 yuan worth of spokes and 10 minutes worth of work BUT this is Fuzhou - where - I'm told - motorbikes are banned, no-one has spokes, has ever seen spokes or knows what to do with them.

Understandable from the usual roadside mechanics used to farm bikes, alloyed wheels and e-bikes of which there are plenty
, but I'm hoping there must be SOMEONE in this city who can do the job?

Anyone from here who can give me a contact number for a garage, or any riders you know of with local knowledge of Fuzhou or nearby?
Any rider's clubs in Fuzhou I can contact and ask?

If I have to I'll order spokes or even a new rear wheel and have a local guy put them on - but for the sake of some spokes I'd really rather not waste the time or money.

Any help or advice would be great. A touring holiday isn't much fun without a bike.

Thanks

[prince666]

Hi

That's bad luck with the bike , I would be asking who and why did you damaged my bike and kicking up a sink about it... check to see if there is some CCTV about.

If it that hard to fix your bike i think it's just best to order a new back wheel of Taobao and get them to send it DHL should be with you in 2 days IMO

Best of luck

A touring holiday isn't much fun without a bike.

[Zorge]

I think that any decent bicycle repair shop could solve your problem.

At least, local bike repair shop did that job for me.

[ngali]

Hi

That's bad luck with the bike , I would be asking who and why did you damaged my bike and kicking up a sink about it... check to see if there is some CCTV about.

If it that hard to fix your bike i think it's just best to order a new back wheel of Taobao and get them to send it DHL should be with you in 2 days IMO

Best of luck

Hey Prince - I know right? When I got out there a little old lady and her equally elderly and diminutive husband had set up a breakfast snack stall and table exactly where my bike had been. Noticing the moved bike and broken spoke I started in on them with an instinctively fluent swear ridden rant (I am Australian after all).

One of the truly great benefits of expat life is that often the people you get into minor social conflicts with - and those in audience surrounding you both - don't understand a word you say. It's that liberating freedom in which you get to say exactly what you think and feel about your moron opponent and not suffer the usual consequence of being an arsehole. I'm pretty sure all they got of it was, GEEZ THIS GUY'S SUPER PISSED ABOUT SOMETHING TO DO WITH HIS BIKE - FOREIGNER'S BE CRAZY. There's no real harm done, you feel better and everyone can move on.

I strongly encourage people to go to other countries and vent all frustrations on uncomprehending locals.

Anyway - they shrugged and pointed to the security guards, who just shook their heads from over the shoulders of their turned away backs. No-one was going to take responsibility and in the end I didn't want to be the Ebeneezer Scrooge waiguoren with an expensive motorbike and wads of cash coming out of a plush hotel, who then calls the cops on Granmama and Pop Pop selling deepfried snacks for two yuan from the cart they dragged here at 6:00 in the morning.

Besides it's just one spoke. What's the worst that can happen? 😂

But you're right. It's near impossible to find spokes and mechanics so I've had to order a wheel and get some after service guy from out of town to bring and install it. Suprisingly cheap really. One good thing.

Meanwhile, I'm two days off bike and days away from being back on...and Fuzhou is HOT when you're not making your own breeze at 90 ks and taxis don't stop unless you wave hundred yuan notes at them and I can't go where ever I want whenever I want...

Is this what life is like without a bike? F that S.

[ngali]

I think that any decent bicycle repair shop could solve your problem.

At least, local bike repair shop did that job for me.

I did go to a couple, but no-one wanted to touch it and I was still sans spokes - but I meet some dude with great English who helped me call after service, so that helped.

[DanKearney]

Ngali,

Hope your wheel swap worked out for you. As a fellow RX-3 owner, I look forward to your ride report.

Cheers,

Dan K.